And then there's the art, tea and cake, the garden and music; in no particular order and with fun … then there will be days when there is no order and or fun. Either way my day posts from the print room, the cafe or the bike (which incidentally is usually parked in the garden when not in use) will be tempered accordingly

New Years resolution …

Since returning from Brazil and my teacher moving away, my creativity has become muddled. While I have carried on much as usual, but without a regular ‘catch up’ with my teacher, I have lost my focus. Although I remain a print maker, I have lost direction. I have attended workshops and classes each offering opportunities to learn something new and add to my overall experience, none really fitted the bill. Yes, I did learn something new and was often successful. However, with new materials and tools I was distracted from my favoured discipline; linocut.

I have not stopped linocutting, infact even without a teacher I developed a style I like and wish to perfect, sadly with no one to discuss my difficulties.

I enjoy reduction printing, the dangerous element is exciting and I have developed a way to merely draw on the lino with brush and permanent ink ; a fluid line already spontaneous and loose, Then, I begin inking and cutting more and more until I am left with the original single line I began with.

The ink is rolled on almost painterly so I am left with a lovely layered painted effect.

However, for a printmaker, this method is flawed and is destined to appear to less than linocut.

There should be no doubt it is linocut it should bear all the hallmarks of a relief print; those we pride ourselves on.

So my first question: How do I achieve shades like pale sky blue, rock rose pink or dove grey, without adding white that I find too opaque and unforgiving. I prefer to layer subtle colours to create shape, and depth, but the colours created with the primary colours are harsh and blemished.

I will value any suggestions to practice of the next few weeks.

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To obtain the colours you desire you could:
a) print them at full strength then repeat print without re-inking until you have the shade you require (if I want grey as a first colour I start with black),
b) use a little extra oil to thin the ink and not over ink the roller,
c) use a modifier to make the ink more translucent.